Sharp, William Ward
Army Private

William Ward Sharp, age 21, from Iowa, Pocahontas county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Monday, July 6, 1953
Death details: On July 6, 1953, a large Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) unit attacked and overran the U.S. Army outposts on Pork Chop Hill in an attempt to seize whatever territory possible before the impending armistice agreement. After fighting for the position for four days, on July 10, the 7th Infantry Division Commander determined that the CCF disregard for casualties and desire to hold the outpost outweighed the position’s tactical value, and ordered a withdrawal that was eventually completed on July 11. The U.S. never again controlled Pork Chop Hill, preventing thorough recovery efforts for those who were killed or went missing during the fighting. Private First Class William Ward Sharp, who joined the U.S. Army from Iowa, served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He went missing in action on July 6 when Chinese troops overran his unit’s outpost on Pork Chop Hill. He was not seen to fall in battle and was never reported as a prisoner of war. Tactical conditions prevented a search for him at the time, and the area of his loss became part of the Demilitarized Zone after the ceasefire. Today, Private First Class Sharp is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency